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Wouldn't this be a good feature re WiFi?

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windowstomac

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 23, 2011
274
66
A couple of nights ago, I managed to bash through a whole month's data allowance listening to Mixcloud because I had switched my WiFi off and forgot to switch it on at home.

Would perhaps be an idea for iOS to occasionally tell you "er...one of your normal WiFi networks is available, why are you hammering your 3G allowance?"

Just a thought....but then I guess if WiFi's switched off it wouldn't know...Shame, because I'm sure I'm not the first person to do this...
 
E

Etnies419

macrumors 6502
Sep 9, 2008
392
0
In the WiFi settings there's an option for "Ask to Join Networks". If WiFi is on, you aren't connected to a network, and it detects networks, it'll show a popup letting you choose one of those networks.
 
vastoholic

vastoholic

macrumors 68000
Jan 28, 2009
1,957
1
Tulsa, OK
windowstomac said:
A couple of nights ago, I managed to bash through a whole month's data allowance listening to Mixcloud because I had switched my WiFi off and forgot to switch it on at home.

Would perhaps be an idea for iOS to occasionally tell you "er...one of your normal WiFi networks is available, why are you hammering your 3G allowance?"

Just a thought....but then I guess if WiFi's switched off it wouldn't know...Shame, because I'm sure I'm not the first person to do this...
Click to expand...

AT&T sends me alerts about my usage after I reach 60% and I think it does it again around 75 and 90%.
 
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windowstomac

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 23, 2011
274
66
Ah, yes, but it wouldn't help if the WiFi was off as mine was.

I know the setting you mean, but it just makes my phone drive me mad when I'm out and about!
 
BFizzzle

BFizzzle

macrumors 68020
May 31, 2010
2,443
0
Austin TX
windowstomac said:
Ah, yes, but it wouldn't help if the WiFi was off as mine was.

I know the setting you mean, but it just makes my phone drive me mad when I'm out and about!
Click to expand...

but how can it search for wifi and say "hey your wifi is available" if your wifi is turned off???
 
BaldiMac

BaldiMac

macrumors G3
Jan 24, 2008
8,760
10,889
windowstomac said:
Ah, yes, but it wouldn't help if the WiFi was off as mine was.

I know the setting you mean, but it just makes my phone drive me mad when I'm out and about!
Click to expand...

Turn off "Ask to Join Networks" but leave wifi on. It will connect automatically connect to known networks.
 
mobilehaathi

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,352
The Anthropocene
It is a decent idea, but it seems that the WiFi antenna would have to be on in order to know that known WiFi networks are available. That would rather defeat the purpose of keeping it off...

I suppose they could allow the WiFi antenna to turn on periodically to check, but I'm not sure how much this would save battery as compared to just leaving it on. As mentioned above, if you just leave WiFi on and turn off "Ask to Join Networks" you will automatically join and use WiFi networks that you've already joined once before.
 
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windowstomac

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 23, 2011
274
66
I realise I may have made myself look daft with this.

The reason I switch my WiFi off is that on Vodafone in Portugal, there's a "MyVodafone" site, which tells me how much data and how many texts I have left BUT only does so when connected to 3G and not WiFi.

So I turn my WiFi off in order to check it, then if I forget to switch it back on again I end up wasting all my data allowance when my router is in the same room.

Just wondered if there was a way the phone could help people avoid doing this - it must be a common error. I understand that it can't detect WiFi networks when WiFi is off, but surely it wouldn't be too difficult to make the OS think "hang on, the GPS says you're at home, so why are you hammering your data allowance when you would usually be using your WiFi"
 
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BigMcGuire

Cancelled
Jan 10, 2012
9,832
14,025
My previous co-worker burned through his monthly allotment of data by accidentally leaving Netflix on without WiFi. Verizon Wireless has Usage Notifiers and it's $10 for another 2gb on a family plan.

It's $$$ in their pockets if you accidentally go over so they'll encourage it as much as they can :). That's why minutes, texts are free now. Data is where the petrol of the wireless industry is. $60 for 2 GB is pretty sad. I pay $70/mo for 100mbps down and 5 mbps up with Charter cable with a 500GB limit. SAD.
 
mobilehaathi

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,352
The Anthropocene
windowstomac said:
Just wondered if there was a way the phone could help people avoid doing this - it must be a common error. I understand that it can't detect WiFi networks when WiFi is off, but surely it wouldn't be too difficult to make the OS think "hang on, the GPS says you're at home, so why are you hammering your data allowance when you would usually be using your WiFi"
Click to expand...

Perhaps they could allow one to create a list of GPS coordinates of known WiFi hotspots (home, work, coffee bar), where if you are within a certain radius the location it informs you that your WiFi is off and that perhaps you want to turn it on.
 
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windowstomac

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 23, 2011
274
66
My previous co-worker burned through his monthly allotment of data by accidentally leaving Netflix on without WiFi.
Click to expand...

When I moaned about it on Facebook, a mate said he had done it too - it must happen all the time...and many countries don't provide data allowances as generous as those in the US and UK...
 
aDRock1154

aDRock1154

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2011
1,396
9
Ohio
Why not just set a location based reminder when you get home to turn on WIFI.

Or use your brain and remember :cool:
 
mobilehaathi

mobilehaathi

macrumors G3
Aug 19, 2008
9,368
6,352
The Anthropocene
aDRock1154 said:
Why not just set a location based reminder when you get home to turn on WIFI.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea, and almost what's been proposed. If it could be streamlined to automatically add coordinates when one connects to a network the first time, and even give the option to automatically turn on WiFi when nearby and automatically turn off when leaving, it would be a complete feature. It would need some ability to set a radius around an area (could probably estimate this with some clever signal strength polling) to give a decent idea when to turn on/off. It is quite possible I think; obviously the software tech is all there.

Anyway, the reminders is a poor-man's version of this.

Although, personally I just leave WiFi on all the time, if there was a more dynamic approach as above, I'd love to save a bit of battery.
 
aDRock1154

aDRock1154

macrumors 65816
Nov 15, 2011
1,396
9
Ohio
mobilehaathi said:
Excellent idea, and almost what's been proposed. If it could be streamlined to automatically add coordinates when one connects to a network the first time, and even give the option to automatically turn on WiFi when nearby and automatically turn off when leaving, it would be a complete feature. It would need some ability to set a radius around an area (could probably estimate this with some clever signal strength polling) to give a decent idea when to turn on/off. It is quite possible I think; obviously the software tech is all there.

Anyway, the reminders is a poor-man's version of this.

Although, personally I just leave WiFi on all the time, if there was a more dynamic approach as above, I'd love to save a bit of battery.
Click to expand...

In all honesty I just leave my WIFI on all the time, so it's not really a big deal to me.

It would be a great feature, but we all know Apple with giving us what we want..
 
Serelus

Serelus

macrumors 6502a
Aug 11, 2009
673
132
Vm9pZA
windowstomac said:
I realise I may have made myself look daft with this.

The reason I switch my WiFi off is that on Vodafone in Portugal, there's a "MyVodafone" site, which tells me how much data and how many texts I have left BUT only does so when connected to 3G and not WiFi.

So I turn my WiFi off in order to check it, then if I forget to switch it back on again I end up wasting all my data allowance when my router is in the same room.

Just wondered if there was a way the phone could help people avoid doing this - it must be a common error. I understand that it can't detect WiFi networks when WiFi is off, but surely it wouldn't be too difficult to make the OS think "hang on, the GPS says you're at home, so why are you hammering your data allowance when you would usually be using your WiFi"
Click to expand...

There has to be a limit, there are thousands of people with thousands of these suggestions. Apple decides which are good enough and implements them. Have you thought about using the reminders app, also doing that with siri is really, really easy.
 
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